Hey Everyone
What a crazy world we are living in. I made the graphic "how are you feeling" because it is how I have been starting all my conversations this week. Instead of "how are you doing?". I think it is pretty clear that day to day, we are doing ok. Many of us have a safe roof over our heads, access to food and medication, and clean drinking water. We are the lucky ones in many ways.
How we are feeling is a much different question. I have a lot of small business owner friends, nurse friends, new parent friends and even friends who have been laid off or have voluntarily stopped working for others safety. Day to day, my feelings and emotions have been good to normal and then all the sudden my emotions are so low that I can't look at my emails. It has been a tough adjustment to say the least.
I have found that creating a schedule is important, and it's also been really therapeutic for me to get outside for something, a walk, a run, or just to look at the sky. I am also lucky that I live in a place where I can safely go outside and social distance.
What most days look like for me-
Alarm at 7 or 7:30
8:00 Morning Run or walk
9:00 Shower & get dressed
10:00 Check emails, check website orders
10:30 Plan Day
11:00- 1:00 Misc Computer stuff (blogs, emails, facebook posts)
1:00 Lunch
2:00 Work on kits, photos, instagram (anything away from my computer
3:00 Whatever is left on the list
5:00 Wrap up by responding to emails and insta messages
6:00 Cook
7:00 Eat, skype or call a friend
8:00-11:00 TV or read a book
I am checking in with you today, to genuinely ask you how you are feeling, but also to give you guys some general updates. (Head over to Instagram if you need to chat with someone!)
I have been going into the studio one day a week to fulfill orders, and while this has helped me from feeling overwhelmed, I feel that I should stop doing this over the next few weeks. As cases in Philly climb, it will be important for me not to bring the virus back into my apartment complex. I have neighbors on my apartment floor that are older, and I don't want to risk their health as things continue to get worse. I haven't made a final decision, but I think this week will be my last week going in for some time, possibly up to a month. (Depending on how this all pans out in April)
What this means? It means that I won't be shipping out orders right away (except the kits, which I am making from home) and I won't be developing new product. Which as an artist and creative, really makes me sad. Our diaper bag launch will have to be pushed back, hopefully to June/July, but that all depends on whether or not we can photograph the new bag over the next few months. It's tough to develop a product that you really believe in, and not be able to see it come to fruition because of unforeseen circumstances.
Even when things feel really dark, which they have been lately, I feel really lucky to have been able to run my own business for 5 years. I hope that I am still able to keep this business going after COVID-19 has a vaccine, and I will do everything I can to make that the case. If you are able, please make a purchase over the next couple months. Small or large, it all helps.
I am thinking of each and every one of you, everyone I have met along this journey, and I am grateful for you.
-Brit